Huge new festival to feature food, drink, music and entertainment for all the family

Leicester will be hosting a new food festival this summer when a range of local, national and international food and drink producers will be showcasing their wares at Abbey Park. Leicester Food Festival 2024, taking place on Saturday, August 10, and Sunday, August 11, will be the biggest food and drink festival ever to be held in Leicester.

It will bring together an line-up of award-winning food producers, street food vendors, local brewers, local bars, bakeries, distillers and more. Some of the highlights will include award-winning Colombo Street Sri Lankan street food, Smashing Plates’ authentic Greek food, Fat Hippo, who are famous for their burgers, craft ale tasting workshops from local micro brewery Mill Hill, and Tynt Meadow who are the only Trappist Brewery in the UK and are based at Mount Saint Bernard Abbey, near Coalville.

There will also be ice cream filled chimney cakes which are a traditional Hungarian street food, wine tasting with local enthusiast @the.winefan, gin masterclasses, luxury milkshakes made with local milk from Leedham Farm Dairy in Desford, eating competitions and much more.

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Midlands Makers, who are known for their local Makers Markets, will also be running an artisan food and makers tent with up to 100 market stalls. The festival will also host tribute band Ultimate Coldplay, who will be headlining on the main stage on the Saturday.

And Dan East, an Ed Sheeran tribute act, will headline on the Sunday. There will also be a lip sync competition on the main stage for people to sign up for on the day, as well as a full programme of local bands and family shows.

For youngsters there's also an interactive story tent, a children’s craft tent, theatrical shows, character appearances with photo opportunities, a magical bubble fairy, balloon modelling, stilt walkers, circus skills, face painting and glitter.

Representatives from Leicester Riders and Leicester City in the Community will also be attending with some fun activities and people can also enjoy the local Billy Bates Fun Fair, where all tickets for the festival will give you free entry into the fair.

The festival takes place from 11am to 9pm on the Saturday and from 11am to 6pm on the Sunday. Limited Early Bird tickets are now on sale from www.Leicesterfoodfestival.co.uk. Children’s and adult tickets are currently half price at £5 and £7.50 respectively, with under 5s free.

Visit Leicester's director for inward investment and place marketing, Mike Denby, said: "Visit Leicester is proud and excited to see the first food and drink festival take place in Abbey Park, on the back of our Taste The Place campaign. This is an opportunity for visitors to discover the quality and variety of locally produced food and drink for themselves, whilst having a fun day out with the family."